Sasuke's Moving Castle
by Hina-chancares8
Summary: Hinata wants more than anything to be an apprentice to a wizard, when she is chosen to learn from Sasuke can they ban together and find a way to save his heart from the demon that holds it and the darker forces at work? COUPLES UNDECIDED AS OF NOW!
1. Picking an Apprentice

**A/N: Here is the first chapter of Sasuke's Moving Castle**. **Now since Cloaked and Sasuke's Moving Castle tied, I'm going to do both (God help me!). I'm going to do alternating chapter weeks, except for this week, where I'm going to post both, so what I mean is that next week will be chapter 2 of Cloaked and the week after that will be chapter 2 of Sasuke's Moving Castle. Just to remind everyone NONE OF THE COUPLES HAVE BEEN DECIDED YET! There will be a time where I will ask for a vote and then they will be decided, however until that point this will be under Sasuke and Hinata as they are the two main characters. ON WITH THE STORY**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Howls Moving castle, the one adapted from the book by Mr. Miyazaki and the book in general by Ms. Diana Wayne Jones**

**Chapter 1: Picking an Apprentice **

The land was bathed in a soft orange glow, as the sun began to rise on the horizon. The rays of the sun warmed and spread across the fields, towns, and houses at it greeted the world for a bright new day. A teenage girl sat on the roof of her house watching the approaching dawn; her white eyes reflecting the light. She sighed and buried her head in her arms trying to find her courage.

"Hinata!" her guardian Kurenai called. "Come inside its time for breakfast."

Hinata stood and stepped into the chimney that led into a bedroom. The boy that was standing at the foot of one of the two beds jumped at the sight of the girl.

"Holy…! Hinata! I told you to stop doing that!" the brown haired boy demanded.

"Sorry Shikamaru-kun." Hinata giggled.

The brown haired boy smirked and beckoned for her to follow him. Both teenagers walked out of their shared bedroom, and walked down the stairs.

"I wonder when Kurenai is going to say something about the magic smokeless chimney that's sticking out of our house." Another, older man asked, as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.

Hinata blushed and Shikamaru scoffed at his sensei and turned to enter in the kitchen but threw a snide comment at the man over his shoulder.

"Leave Hinata alone, at least she has the courage to talk to Kurenai about it, unlike you, who still happens to be a bachelor and living in the love of his life's house." Shikamaru commented.

"Why you little!" The man snapped and was about to lunge for his apprentice when the kitchen door opened revealing a tall, curvaceous woman with long dark brown hair and red eyes.

"What are you two arguing about now?" Kurenai asked hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Nothing dear." Asuma said sheepishly.

"Good, now come on, it's time for breakfast." Kurenai said, leading the way into the kitchen.

Hinata had been living with Kurenai since she was twelve and with Asuma, her guardian's long time boyfriend, and his young apprentice Shikamaru Nara since she was fourteen. Hinata had moved in with Kurenai, a longtime friend of her deceased mother, when her father had disowned her.

The Hyuuga family has always been a family of powerful wizards and witches. Each Hyuuga possessed a special magic they were all adept in called the Jyuuken. Jyuuken magic, was a special magic that only Hyuuga's could use much like the Sharingan magic the Uchiha clan once possessed. Each Hyuuga, from an early age is trained in this type of combat magic, when coupled with their Byakugan the Hyuuga were unstoppable.

However when Hinata was born, she showed minimal if any signs of being compatible with the famous Jyuuken, and while her Hyuuga powers grew stronger as she got older, she was never up to par. Now she lived with Kurenai who detested magic, and never mentioned a word about it. Magic was dangerous and could have devastating effects on those without it. But Hinata wanted, more than anything, to become a witch. On the day she moved in with Kurenai she had promised herself to prove her father wrong by becoming stronger and proving Kurenai wrong by creating good, and the first step was to become the apprentice to a witch or wizard. Shikamaru, knew of Hinata's dream and supplied the comforting confidence she needed to approach Kurenai, and today was the day. Today was the last chance she would get to ask her guardian until she would have to wait another five years until the opportunity would come again to become the apprentice of a fully fledged wizard or witch.

"So nice weather we've got around here huh?" Shikamaru asked awkwardly.

The question fell unanswered, and everyone continued to eat in silence. Asuma opened his mouth to say something, however the air was so tense that he shut his mouth.

"Well, that was a nice breakfast." Kurenai began, standing and turning towards the kitchen.

"Hinata!" Shikamaru hissed.

The dark haired girl swallowed hard and weakly called out her guardian's name.

"Kurenai?" Hinata said softly.

"Yes?" the woman asked confused.

"N-nothing." Hinata mumbled.

The woman shrugged and turned away again. Shikamaru smacked Hinata's elbow hard, causing the girl to squeak. Just as Kurenai was about to disappear into the kitchen Hinata rose from the table.

"I want to become a witch!" She said all in one breath, eyes closed and cheeks flushed.

Kurenai froze in the doorway before slowly turning around to face her ward. The two women locked eyes, until finally Hinata lowered her eyes in shame.

"Asuma take Shikamaru and leave, we need to talk." Kurenai said softly.

The two men left without a word, but before Shikamaru disappeared he gave his friend a thumbs up. Hinata stood there for a few minutes waiting for Kurenai to say something. After what felt like forever Kurenai finally spoke.

"Why?" Was her soft one word question.

Hinata took a deep breath and prepared to speak, but stopped, when she saw Kurenai's face. The woman's head was buried in her hands; her shoulders slumped, as she waited for Hinata to speak.

"Sensei I…" Hinata trailed off.

Kurenai looked into Hinata's eyes. Her face looked old and weary despite her young age, and this was all Hinata needed to spur her on.

"I was b-b-born to be a w-witch. It's my f-f-family legacy!" Hinata stammered. "It's very i-i-important to me that I do this to p-prove to my f-family that I'm n-not worthl…"

"What about this family!" Kurenai interrupted. "What about me! And Shikamaru, and Asuma? We're your family now Hinata! What has magic ever done for you!"

"But Sensei I…!" Hinata began but was cut off.

"No! I'll tell you what magic brought you! Heartache, when you were disowned. Weakness, when you couldn't keep up with your family. Death of my family and your mother…!" Kurenai shouted standing.

Silence fell between the two of them, tears gathering in her white eyes, as Kurenai too broke down.

"Magic will only be destructive; it will destroy everything in your life…why would you want that?" Kurenai trailed off.

"…Y-you're right." Hinata said, forcing a smile, as the tears began to trail down her cheeks. "Forget I asked, I-I-I'll be up in my r-room if you n-n-need me." Hinata said after a long moment of silence.

With that Hinata walked out of the room as quickly as possible, almost tripping over Asuma and Shikamaru who had been listening right outside the door. Hinata fell back on her bed and covered her face just crying. Hours later there was a soft knock on her door.

"Come in." Hinata said softly.

The door opened to reveal Kurenai who walked slowly towards Hinata's bed. The dark haired girl sat up at the sight of the older woman.

"Sensei…?" Hinata asked.

"Hinata we need to talk about what happened earlier." Kurenai breathed.

"No w-we don't it's okay r-r-really." Hinata tried to pacify her.

"No it's not okay." Kurenai said bitterly shaking her head.

"Alright, we can t-t-t-talk if you w-want to." Was Hinata's soft reply.

"Come with me." Kurenai said, beckoning for the girl to follow her.

Hinata followed her guardian until they reached one of the closets in the hallway. Kurenai opened the door, and instead of the old cloaks and towels she was expecting to find Hinata saw a long staircase that disappeared into darkness.

"K-Kurenai." Hinata began. "This was never h-here before."

"Follow me Hinata." Kurenai said, already climbing the steps.

Hinata followed her guardian into the darkness, walking up the never-ending staircase. Suddenly Kurenai stopped making Hinata crash into her. Hinata peeked over the woman's shoulder and saw that they had stopped outside a door. Kurenai turned back to Hinata, and gave her a weak smile before opening the door. They walked into the room and Hinata was in awe. Not only had she never noticed the door with the staircase but she had been positive that there was no attic, if that's what this room could be called. It was pristine, and white with a vaulted ceiling that seemed to stretch to the sky. There were large windows and even a balcony.

"Sensei…w-what is this?" Hinata asked confused.

Kurenai didn't answer her and instead made her way to a small chest that was pushed against one of the walls. She bent down and opened it before reaching in and pulling out large books, cloaks, and other miscellaneous items, that seemed too big to fit in such a tiny chest. Finally she pulled out a rather dusty looking book and a large square box. Hianta opened her mouth to question her again, but stopped when Kurenai handed her the book. Cautiously Hinata opened the book, and was met with the smiling face of her sensei only a lot younger and more innocent. In the picture she was dressed in dark colored robes, holding a pointed hat in one hand. Amazed she continued to flip through the pages until she reached the last one. She froze when she saw the picture and glanced up at Kurenai before looking back down, her white eyes filling with tears.

"W-w-what does this…?" Hinata began, looking up at the woman with her cloudy white eyes.

"I…I was an apprentice witch once too." Kurenai said softly. "Your mother was my mentor. She taught me everything I know about magic."

"But then…" Hinata began but was cut off again.

"I was there…I was the reason why she died." Kurenai said softly. "She told me that her magic was too dangerous, that I couldn't look through her books and spells because I could die. One day I decided to open it anyway…"

Hinata shook her head in disbelief as Kurenai pulled out a locked book and shoved it into Hinata's hands.

"I thought I was trained enough, I thought I was mature, and powerful enough but… when I opened the book, whatever came out of it almost killed me. I don't remember much, the only thing I remember with outstanding clarity is when I woke up I was laying in a puddle of your mother's blood." Kurenai explained. "The last words she ever spoke to me was 'take care of Hinata' you were only six at the time, your sister barely one, but that's what I've done, I've protected you. From your father and from magic… I've tried to protect you."

Hinata ran her fingers over the lock on the book and absently wondered how her mother managed to seal the book with such a strong lock and what was in it that could kill a person.

"But I see now that magic is something you need, something that your mother would want you to have, so…" Kurenai trailed off, pulling out a long crimson colored robe and a matching witch hat before handing both of them to her. "I give you my apprentice robes that your mother made for me, and my blessing to become an apprentice."

Hinata sat stunned for a few minutes, before everything sunk in. She breathed out in a short gasp as the tears welled in her eyes, and she slowly placed the witch hat on her head.

"I understand, and I will m-make you both p-proud." Hinata said after a moment.

"I know you will." Kurenai said, giving her a watery smile before hugging Hinata tightly.

After sharing their moment, Kurenai pulled away from her and dried the tears on her pale face.

"You better start packing if you and Shikamaru want to make it in time." Kurenai said gently.

Hinata nodded before springing to her feet and running down the stairs calling for Shikamaru.

-Page Break-

Sasuke stumped down the stairs of his manor rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He was definitely not a morning person.

"Morning sssssasuke." The snake in a cage hissed from its place near the fire.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted sitting at the table. "Suigetsu!"

"What the hell do you want ass hole?" Suigetsu asked walking to the table.

"Breakfast." The Uchiha groaned.

"I'm not your slave!" Suigetsu snapped but started breakfast anyway.

"I want an omelet with tomatoes and cheese!" Sasuke called after him, ignoring the muffled curse from the other male.

"Sssssssasuke…" the snake hissed curling around the teens arm.

"How the hell did you get out of your cage, Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked the white and purple snake.

"Sssssssssasuke." Orochimaru hissed, ignoring his previous question. "Do you know what today issssssss?"

"I don't care!" He growled standing and shoving the snake back into the cage.

Sasuke sat back down and laid his head in his arms and tried to fall back to sleep.

"Ku ku ku ku ku…" the snake laughed.

"Fine," Sasuke groaned. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Nothing." The snake said. "I jussssst thought you would be curioussss to know what today isssss becaussssse it will change your life."

Sasuke didn't respond, instead he turned and glared at the snake with cold, dark eyes, that urged him to continue.

"Today issssss the day that all witchsssssss and wizardssssss pick their apprenticessssss." The snake hissed.

"So?" Sasuke grumbled, not getting the point.

The snake sighed exasperated. "Let me rephrase that. Today is the day that you Sasuke Uchiha must report to the palace to pick your new apprentice."

The Uchiha sat unmoving for a minute, blinking dumbly at the snake before jumping to his feet and dashing up the stairs only to rush back down, his wizard robe hanging loosely on his thin frame. He threw open the door and disappeared outside muttering curses underneath his breath.

"Ku ku ku ku." The snake laughed as Suigetsu walked in.

"What's so funny?" Suigetsu asked setting down Sasuke's omelet and his own breakfast on the table.

"Nothing," the snake reassured. "But I think we'll be getting a new house guest soon."

"Today's the day he was supposed to pick his apprentice huh?" Suigetsu asked.

The snake nodded in the cage before laughing harder. 

"That bastard." He whispered, putting his breakfast in the snake's cage and throwing Sasuke's in the fire before grabbing his cloak and rushing out the door to catch up with Sasuke.

-Page Break-

"You know? Sometimes I think that you're more trouble than your worth." Shikamaru said lazily, steering the horse and small cart they were taking to the capital.

Hinata visibly sagged at the comment, her fingers pushing together shyly as she tried to think of a way to apologize to her friend.

"Not often though." Shikamaru continued after a moment, tapping her nose gently.

Hinata smiled brightly up at him, and continued to stare straight ahead as they entered Konoha, capital city of the land of fire. The streets were full of people, all bustling in excitement to see the new apprentices of the wizards and witches. Hinata watched with sparkling eyes at all the colors, and excitement. Food vendors called to them and she let the sight and smells wash over her.

"How long has it been since you've been in the capital?" Shikamaru asked.

"Eight years." Hinata breathed her expression becoming melancholy.

Shikamaru placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder, who turned and smiled at him sadly. She sighed and relaxed back in her seat as they continued towards the palace. As they got closer and closer the crowd of people got thicker and thicker, until finally they couldn't go any further.

"I-I'm nervous Shikamaru-kun." Hinata said weakly, looking at the throngs of people. "What if I d-d-don't get p-picked?" she stammered.

"You will Hinata I promise." Shikamaru reassured.

Hinata nodded breathing deeply, she leaned over and hugged Shikamaru tightly.

"Thank you Shikamaru-kun." Hinata said softly.

"No problem, the next time I see you I know you'll be a full witch." He reassured.

Hinata nodded before hopping down from the cart and grabbing her bag of clothes and other important things that she had taken with her. Taking a deep breath she slipped on her robes and secured her hat before disappearing in to the crowd.

-Page Break-

"You're an ass." Suigetsu growled at Sasuke.

"I heard you the first eight times." Sasuke snapped. "Besides if you're going to be this annoying you shouldn't have come in the first place!"

"I had to come! I had to make sure that you picked a girl apprentice." Suigetsu explained.

Sasuke stopped short and gave Suigetsu a disbelieving glare. Before shaking his head and continuing to the castle.

"IF I pick an apprentice it will be a boy, like usual." Sasuke said with an air of finality.

"Oh hell no!" Suigetsu exclaimed. "I'm putting my foot down! We're getting a girl apprentice and that's that!"

"They will be my apprentice, not yours. You don't get to choose!" Sasuke growled, reaching his pique. "And why is it so important that it's a girl?"

"Why do you think?" Suigetsu answered outraged. "I haven't seen a girl in years!"

"Stop being dramatic, it hasn't been years." Sasuke muttered, trying to regain his broody I-don't-give-a-damn composure.

Suigetsu suddenly stopped, eyeing Sasuke warily. The dark haired young man turned around to glare.

"What!" he demanded after a minute.

"It's odd that you wouldn't want a female apprentice." Suigetsu said skeptically. "You probably haven't seen a girl in longer than I have."

"Why should I? So she can stare and paw at me? And whine and complain as much as you do?" Sasuke commented raising an eyebrow. "It's already like I'm living with a woman, why would I get another one?"

"I think it's for an entirely different reason." Suigetsu said boldly.

"Yeah? What reason?" Sasuke said testily, his bored expression melting away.

"I don't know Sas-GAY why don't you tell me!" Suigetsu accused.

Sasuke's eye's narrowed in anger before he swiftly punched Suigetsu in the face fully intent on turning back around and making his way to the castle.

"Hmph, you must be gay, that punch was nothing!" Suigetsu claimed, wiping blood from his chin.

Sasuke whirled around actually contemplating killing the man in front him, before he decided a slightly less drastic course of action.

"I can have any girl I want at any time." Sasuke hissed. "I'm comfortable with my sexuality, unlike someone else. Why are you so quick to point fingers Suigetsu? Maybe it's to hide your true feelings?"

Suigetsu's face turned red, and he was about to protest when he was knocked to the ground. Sasuke looked surprised for a moment before putting his mask of indifference back on.

"I-I-I'm so s-sorry!" the girl apologized quickly getting to her feet and bowing low.

"It's alright." Suigetsu said standing and handing the witch hat to the girl.

"T-thank you." The girl said smiling shyly.

She had long dark blue hair and pale eyes, that reminded Sasuke of something, but who couldn't quite pin point what. Her cheeks were stained a light pink and she fidgeted with her hat. He scoffed and turned away.

"Hurry up." He commanded Suigetsu. "We have to be somewhere, leave this klutzy ditzy idiot here, and keep going."

Sasuke kept walking, not bothering to see if Suigetsu was following him or not. The other man glared, and gave him the finger before grinning at the girl, his sharp shark like teeth showing.

"Sorry my master's an ass, who are you?" he asked.

"Hi-Hinata, and it's alright it was my f-fault." Hinata answered quietly her cheeks bright red from embarrassment.

"Suigetsu." He told her without waiting for her to ask the same question. "And I have to go, see you later! Hey ass hole wait up!" he yelled at Sasuke's retreating back before speeding up to catch him.

Hinata watched puzzled for a moment, wondering how two drastically different people could work cooperatively. However now that her buffers from the crowd had left, the people swarmed in around her again. Hinata struggled to squeeze through the throngs of people only succeeding in disorienting herself. She knew she had to get to the castle before apprentices were picked, or she wouldn't find a master. With that thought in mind she resolved to find a way through the crowd. Her eyes drifted towards the clouds, and a small smile crossed her face as she began muttering under her breath.

-Page Break-

Suigetsu trudged behind Sasuke, complaining and insulting the Uchiha every step of the way. Suddenly the air became thick and Sasuke stopped immediately looking around for the source of the magic that just surrounded them.

"What now?" Suigetsu snapped.

Sasuke turned to glare at him, about to tell him off when he saw a small cloud flying towards them. Without thinking the Uchiha grabbed Suigetsu's head and dragged him down with him to duck the speedy white cloud. When it passed he looked up, surprised to see the same girl from earlier sitting calmly on top of it as it made its way towards the castle.

"That's Hinata." Suigetsu said. "Take a look at that you ass! If you weren't rude to her we could have gotten a ride with her instead of walking!"

Sasuke ignored his servant, moving through the crowd with renewed haste. That girl was just an apprentice and she already seemed to have a natural talent for magic. Despite himself Sasuke was curious and wasn't going to leave his questions unanswered.

-Page Break-

Hinata reached the castle rather quickly after that. She stepped down gently on the top step and allowed the cloud to dissipate. Taking a deep breath and steeling her nerves she made her way inside the castle.

"Apprentice?" A pink haired girl who was waiting just inside asked, as if she didn't already know from Hinata's attire.

"Y-yes." Hinata confirmed.

"Welcome! My name is Sakura Haruno, apprentice to Lady Tsunade, head enchantress of the land of fire, come this way please miss…?"

"H-Hinata H-Hyuga." Hinata answered nervously.

"Of course Hinata-chan." Sakura said smiling warmly and leading her through various halls until they reached a giant glass dome.

Inside there were witches and wizards waiting to be chosen or to chose their next apprentice. Hinata's eyes immediately fell to the smallest girl in the room, whom she knew was no older than eleven.

"Hanabi-chan?" Hinata asked softly.

The girl turned at the sound of her name, her eyes cold and her expression indifferent. She gave a nod in her older sister's direction.

"Hinata." She answered.

"Hinata-sama?" an older voice asked.

Hinata turned to see her cousin Neji, quickly making his way over to her. He swept her into a quick hug before holding her out at arm's length.

"Are you alright Hinata-sama? You have not been harmed?" Neji asked.

"I'm perfectly f-fine ni-san." Hinata answered a smile finding its way onto her face. "It's been so long since I've seen you."

Neji nodded and looked like he was about to say something when loud gasps filled the room. The two Hyuga cousins turned to see who entered. Hinata paled when she realized it was the dark haired man from earlier with his servant Suigetsu. When the blonde haired man caught sight of her, he gave her a small wave, and flashed his shark toothed smile in her direction as his master was swarmed with the majority of the females in the room.

"Alright, now that everybody is here, we shall pick the apprentices." Sakura said, ushering all the new apprentices into line.

Hinata stared straight ahead, trying hard not to stare at one particular person, afraid of drawing attention to herself.

"Sabuku no Gaara, Hyuga Neji, Uzamaki Naruto, Sabuku no Temari, Kotetsu Natsu, and Uchiha Sasuke, you have come here today to choose your apprentice." Sakura said professionally. "Matsuri, Sarutobi Konohamaru, Hyuga Hanabi, Hyuga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, Akamichi Chouji, Yakushi Kabuto, and Karen, you have come today to be chosen as an apprentice and begin your magical training. Witches and Wizards determined by the previous order, Sabuku no Gaara will pick first."

A threatening red head stepped forward, his eyes were a cool aquamarine, and his face was blank. He scanned the group before pointing to the girl with red hair and glasses. She made a face before reluctantly stepping forward, but before she could reach him, he stopped her with a question.

"What land do you hail from?" his deep, rumbling voice questioned.

"Oto." Karen answered, an eyebrow raised.

He gestured for the young man with silver hair and glasses and asked the same question before dismissing him like the girl before him. Finally he turned to the younger girl with light brown hair and gestured her forward.

"I hail from Suna." She answered before he had a chance to ask.

"She will be my apprentice." He said simply to Sakura.

The pinkette blinked uncertainly for a moment before nodding and smiling, announcing that the next to pick was Uzamaki Naruto. A bright blonde with bright blue eyes bounded forward grinning at all the apprentices. Hinata felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks flush at his bright smile. What she wouldn't give to be picked as his apprentice. Sadly it was not meant to be as he picked the next youngest, the boy Konohamaru.

"Next is Uchiha Sasuke." Hinata gulped when Sakura made this announcement.

Ino and Karen began to push and shove each other slightly attempting to make themselves more prominent while Hinata folded in on herself, hoping not to be noticed.

-Page Break-

Sasuke watched slightly amused, as Suigetsu prowled behind the apprentices, looking for one he found 'suitable'. He had to repress a sigh as he saw his only two options for boys was the fat one and the one with the glasses neither one a promising option. Suigetsu stopped behind the blonde girl and made curvey gestures with his hands before giving Sasuke thumbs up. Sasuke shook his head and shot Suigetsu a heated glare before he could even examine Karen. His only two real female options were the Hyuga girls. The one was young and probably a promising prodigy, while the other was a stuttering klutz, but an apprentice that could cast high level spells. He watched as Suigetsu made his way over to Hinata? That's what he thought her name was anyway. He pointed at her and nodded his head, Sasuke only giving him a skeptical look. Suigetsu glanced at the two boys and shook his head vigorously, falling to his knees behind Hinata who seemed to shrink away from his gaze, and begged him silently. On one hand Sasuke did want to find out how she had cast the spell she did, on the other hand she was a girl. He glanced behind him at the other fully fledged wizards and witches. The other Hyuga was sending a murderous glare at Suigetsu, which meant that he wanted Hinata. Without a second thought Sasuke's mind was made up. Maybe if he was lucky the Hyuga boy would kill Suigetsu in rage, ah a man could dream.

"That one, Hyuga Hina-something." Sasuke said cooly pointing in her direction.

Three things happened all at once, the tension in the room rose to dangerous levels, Suigetsu let out a triumphant cry while jumping to his feet, and Hinata fainted, crumbling to the ground like a heap of rocks.

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Of Mistakes and Misunderstandings

**A/N: Okay here's Chapter 2 of Sasuke's moving castle. Also just a note to all my readers. This isn't going to exactly be like the movie or the book of the same name. I took a little bit from each story and decided to use it. Not that I don't love Howl's Moving Castle. It's one of my favorite books and a movie I watch at any opportunity I just didn't want to regurgitate the story itself, and for any who has read the book and watched the movie knows those are two very different stories. I know this chapter is a little late... ok it's A LOT late but give me a break! I had a hectic schedule at work. I'm a substitute not full time and I've been working everyday for the past two weeks! But better late than never right? Anyways...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Howl's Moving Castle, both the movie and book**

**Chapter 2: Of Mistakes and Misunderstandings**

Sasuke rolled his eyes, this was already proving to be a mistake. After he had picked her the Hyuga girl had promptly fainted, and the group of people swarmed around her, or most of them at least. All of the people that had been standing near her had gathered in a small circle around Sakura who had moved forward to make sure she wasn't injured, and Suigetsu who had caught her expertly, before she could hit the ground. He bit back the irritation, as he recalled Suigetsu's large smile, and expression that seemed to scream 'I told you so'. The other Hyuga girl didn't approach her apparent relative, surprising Sasuke slightly. From the glare he was receiving from the other Hyuga their family seemed like a close one. The only people that hadn't invaded the other girls space, was him, the two Hyuga's and the red head who watched with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth.

The Hyuga boy's stare was aggravating him to no end and when he still hadn't spoken, but continued to level a scorching glare at the back of Sasuke's head he couldn't take it.

"Why did you pick her?" he snapped, as if that answered Sasuke's question.

"I picked an apprentice like I was supposed to." Sasuke, said scathingly. "I don't see a problem."

The boy looked like he was ready to pounce and Sasuke was only too happy to oblige him. It would give him something remotely entertaining to do.

"Neji-ni-san." a calm clipped voice stopped the white eyed male from attacking.

Sasuke turned his gaze towards the rather small girl that approached them. She was related to both the boy Neji, and the apprentice that he just picked, but he didn't know in what capacity.

"If you care for Hinata-nee-chan as much as you seem to," she continued her voice formal. "Then I suggest you allow her to be trained by her mentor, that's what she wanted yes? If not she wouldn't be here."

Neji opened his mouth to protest but let it die on his lips before nodding to the younger girl, his face solemn.

"Of course Hanabi-sama." he answered stiffly.

Sasuke gave him a smug, triumphant smirk, that simply stated 'ha I win'. He scowled as soon as the thought crossed his mind. Suigetsu was starting to rub off on him and that thought was horrific enough.

"She's going to be all right." Sakura announced, standing.

Some of the tension seemed to have left Neji's shoulders, as they slumped forward slightly. Naruto who had been buzzing around behind Sakura turned to the pink haired girl and smiled, about to say something remotely flirtatious by the looks of it. But before he could even open his mouth she hit him hard in the jaw. Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, glaring at his apprentice who was still sprawled on the floor.

-Page Break-

Hinata blinked her eyes open slowly. She was met with multiple pairs of eyes, and she blushed remembering what had led her to faint in the first place.

"You okay Hinata?" a slightly familiar voice asked.

She looked up as far as she could and saw the source of the voice was Suigetsu. He flashed a smile, his shark like teeth, startling her for a moment before she quickly sat up. Which she regretted as her head collided with someone else's.

"OWWW!" the blonde boy, Naruto howled.

He reeled back, clutching his forehead tightly making loud noises of pain. Hinata rubbed her forehead as well, but couldn't stop her face from turning cherry red, as she felt the overwhelming need to pass out again.

"Naruto you're such a clutz!" a woman whom Hinata didn't recognize chastised gently, as she grasped the girl by her shoulders. "Are you okay?" She asked loudly.

"Y-yes." she stuttered, before being blinded by the girls mega watt smile.

"Oh good, my name's Natsu." she explained.

"H-hello Natsu-san." she stuttered, before she was pulled to her feet.

Hinata visibly winced when she caught sight of the dark haired man that had picked her to be his apprentice, very aware of all the heated glares she was receiving from the other girls in the room, with the exception of Natsu, and her sister. She knew that, (Sasuke was his name?), he didn't like her, if the scowl he was giving her along with how he treated her earlier that morning was any indication. Hinata felt a wave of regret, remembering a home where she was wanted, with her best friend and her sensei. But she swallowed the lump in her throat and approached her master.

"T-thank you for p-picking me." She muttered quietly.

He scoffed and turned away from her, and Hinata fell silent behind him. Suddenly she jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the handsome red head from earlier. He didn't smile, or give her a confident or reassuring look. Instead the gaze she met was set, and determined, which gave her courage in itself. She nodded and gave a small smile, whether it was for herself or him she didn't know. As soon as he saw the gesture he moved away from her back to his own chosen apprentice, leaving Hinata alone with the icicle of a person in front of her. The pink haired girl cleared her throat, before continuing with the ceremony.

-Page Break-

It didn't take long for things to finish and most of the apprentices were talking animatedly with their sensei's. Only Hinata and Sasuke remained silent, while Suigetsu chatted amicably with no one in particular.

"Apprentice's, you and your new master may stay the night, Lady Tsunade has prepared rooms for each of you. Stay and enjoy the feast!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly. "Shizune-san will lead you to your rooms."

"Come this way please." A dark haired girl, holding a pig that was wearing a pearl necklace, entered the room and bowed.

Neji gestured towards her and Hinata went to go follow them when she felt a sharp tug on her arm.

"We are not staying." Sasuke said cooly, his grip on her arm tight.

She winced slightly in pain, and was about to open her mouth to question why he was so determined to leave all of a sudden, but Suigetsu beat her to it.

"You mean we're leaving tonight? Ugh! Can't we just stay?" Suigetsu whined.

"Shut up Suigetsu." Sasuke answered flatly.

The young man bristled and rounded on his raven haired companion when Hinata held up her hands in a placating manner, causing Suigetsu to seethe in silence.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked weakly as said boy made a bee-line for the door. "Won't you please stay." She begged. "For me."

Sasuke turned with a deeper scowl and a harsher glare. He opened his mouth to say something undoubtably mean, when Naruto came rushing over. He swung his arm over Sasuke's shoulders and held him against his side tightly.

"Sasuke-teme isn't going anywhere Sakura-chan." Naruto reassured his smile bright, but a threat lingered in his eyes.

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond but seemed to decide otherwise and instead allowed Naruto to steer him out of the room. Suigetsu cheered the blonde before grabbing Hinata's hand and dragging her behind the group of witches and wizards following Shizune.

-Page Break-

"I'm sure he's not all bad." the light brown haired girl named Matsuri reassured Hinata.

The dark haired girl shook her head as if in disbelief. The chubby boy sitting next to her snorted in derision before returning to his snack.

"You're not exactly helping Chouji." Ino Yamanaka said, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder, and glared.

Hinata gave a sheepish smile and shifted a little self-consciously. All the apprentices had decided to meet before dinner. After Hinata had managed to convince Suigetsu they all sat in the large sitting room between all of their individual rooms. All of the apprentices were there, except for her sister, who as a Hyuga, was too good for them anyway. They had introduced themselves and seemed to enjoy each other's company. Well everyone, except for the red headed girl with the glasses.

"Don't you say a word against Sasuke-sama!" She bristled, crossing her arms and huffing.

"Be careful Karen, your hero worship is showing." the young man Kabuto teased lightly, pushing up his glasses.

"Hero worship? It's obviously more than that." Suigetsu groused, sitting up next to Hinata.

The Hyuga looked down towards the young man. He was cocky, loud, and at times a little rude, but at least he liked her, unlike Sasuke. She wasn't looking forward to her apprenticeship, but knowing that Suigetsu would be there, made it a little less terrible.

"Every girl has at least a teeny tiny crush on Sasuke, at one point." Ino admitted, shrugging.

Chouji snorted again and continued to eat while Matsuri nodded once in agreement. Hinata looked at them confused before shaking her head.

"I n-never l-liked Sasuke-san." she said quietly.

For a second Hinata thought she had gone deaf. The room had gone completely silent, as if no one dared to breathe. Even Chouji who had been snacking quite loudly stopped in mid bite, as everyone turned to look at her.

"W-what?" she asked weakly after a few moments of silent staring.

"I knew it!" Suigetsu cried, breaking the silence and allowing Hinata to breathe again. "You are perfect! She's pretty, smart, and she doesn't like Sasuke! What more could you want from a girl?" Suigetsu said throwing an arm around her shoulders.

Kabuto gave her a vibrant smile before agreeing while Chouji nodded. Hinata felt her cheeks heat, uncomfortable with all the attention. Karen huffed in indignation before turning towards them looking at her accusingly. Suigetsu stood, stretched and excused himself after a few more minutes, claiming he had to go to the bathroom.

"Why did he pick YOU anyway?" the red head asked scathingly. "Especially since you don't even like him!"

"The f-f-feeling is m-m-mutual." Hinata said gravely.

"Then why did he pick you?" Konohamaru who had been silent up until then, piped in. "It doesn't make sense. If he didn't like you then why pick you?"

Hinata shrugged slightly not sure what she should do. No one seemed to accept that answer.

"Maybe it's because your a Hyuga." Ino offered.

"Or because you were the only one, other than myself, not drooling and practically bowing at his feet." Matsuri supplied.

"That's probably it," Kabuto agreed. "Maybe he's tired of all the looks of admiration he gets."

"It has to be, it's obviously not because she has any real talent." Karen said snidely.

"I can c-cast s-some s-s-spells." Hinata defended.

Suddenly everyone in the room turned to look at her astounded. She blinked before shifting self consciously again.

"Did you say you can cast spells?" Chouji asked, shifting away from her slightly.

"U-uh, u-um y-yes some." Hinata answered confused.

"Were you trained by the Hyuga?" Kabuto asked.

"N-no, I t-trained myself see." Hinata explained, murmuring under her breath before a white lily appeared in her hand.

Everyone moved away from her this time, some gasping in shock. Hinata looked around, still puzzled. It was just a flower, surely they could do more deadly magic then she could.

"You...you do magic even though you haven't been trained yet?" Ino asked.

Hinata nodded slowly, wary about why they all were looking at her as if she had grown extra heads.

"How?" Kabuto couldn't help but ask, his voice slightly strained.

"I m-make my own spells." Hinata explained.

"That's dangerous!" Konohamaru shouted. "If an untrained witch or wizard tries to use magic without being trained, especially using their own spells something terrible could happen. People could get hurt, or even die!"

Hinata reeled back as if she had been slapped. She stared at them all with wide eyes, her mind went to Kurenai and what she had revealed to Hinata. She shut her eyes tightly and tried to think on something else, and compose herself.

"You need to promise us Hinata," Matsuri began giving the girl a meaningful look. "That you won't use any more magic until your trained."

"I p-p-promise." Hinata answered.

"Well then maybe that's why Sasuke picked her." Kabuto mused out loud. "Sasuke only cares about three things, beauty, strength, and revenge." he elaborated seeing her curious expression.

"Yeah, now that I think about it I feel bad for you." Ino said sheepishly.

"W-w-why?" Hinata asked.

"You haven't heard the rumors about Sasuke?" Matsuri asked in disbelief.

Hinata shook her head, and however far they had scooted from her before quickly didn't matter as they all seemed to circle around her. Even Karen slid to the empty spot next to her.

"You've heard of the great Uchiha clan right?" Kabuto asked receiving a nod from Hinata. "Well Sasuke was the second born son of the leader of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku Uchiha. When Sasuke was seven years old his entire family was massacred. He was the only survivor other than his older brother who disappeared that same night. Sasuke vowed revenge on the murderer of his family and from that day on only sought power. He trained and traveled until he met the snake demon Orochimaru."

The room seemed to fill with tension as Hinata listened, half in fear and half in disbelief. She couldn't believe that such a thing existed and if it did what did she get herself into.

"The price for the power that the demon offered him was huge. In exchange for power the demon took his heart." Kabuto continued. "That's why he's so cold, and uncaring. Sasuke gave his heart to the demon in order to get his revenge. You're the first apprentice he's ever taken on, because it's said he travels the world finding beautiful maidens, and steals their heart's, in the hopes that one day the demon will become strong enough to help him find and destroy the man who killed his family."

Suddenly Kabuto stiffened, and the rest of the rooms occupants seemed to hold their breath. They were all staring behind Hinata. The dark haired girl slowly turned to find Suigetsu standing over her, his usually good humored expression was stoic. No one dared to move or speak until finally Suigetsu held out his hand to Hinata. The nervous girl took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Come on Hinata, we have to go. Sasuke's waiting for us." Suigetsu said, not acknowledging the previous conversation or the people in the room.

Hinata shot them all one last fearful look before allowing Suigetsu to lead her from the room. They walked down the halls of the large palace, neither of them saying a word. After ten minutes Hinata couldn't take the silence anymore.

"I-I don't b-b-believe what t-they said about S-S-Sasuke-san." Hinata said softly.

"Why?" he snorted. "It's a legend that most people have heard a thousand times."

"So you're not mad?" Hinata asked breathlessly.

Suigetsu gave her look that she had never seen before. It was soft, apologetic, with a little something else she knew she couldn't identify.

"Of course I'm not mad!" His expression changed again in an instant, returning to his normal rough and feral grin. "But if I had to tell the story, I would mention that his weak ass hasn't gotten any stronger, and that he had no heart to give away to begin with."

Hinata gave him a small nervous smile, as he scowled, and ranted about Sasuke again. When silence fell between them once more Hinata found the courage to speak.

"B-b-but it's n-not t-true right?" Hinata asked.

"Look there's Sasuke!" Suigetsu said in response, his loud voice ringing off the walls, and drawing the dark haired mans attention.

"Keep your voice down, moron." Sasuke hissed as they got closer.

"Make me ass." Suigetsu shot back.

Hinata looked down at her feet finding herself unable to even look at Sasuke. She was well aware that Suigetsu hadn't answered her question, and when she felt Sasuke's eyes on her, a shiver of terror ran up her spine. But even then she tried to convince herself that the story wasn't real. Everyone needed a heart, if not in the metaphorical sense, at least in the physical sense, how did someone live without a heart? It wasn't possible. Hinata finally raised her eyes and immediately let them fall again, all of her reassurances flew out the window, because with one second staring into those black eyes she realized that with Sasuke, this was entirely possible.

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Okay read and review peeps! **


	3. Sasuke's Castle

**Disclaimer: I don't own**

**Chapter 3: Sasuke's Castle**

"Don't worry, we're almost there" Suigetsu reassured.

Hinata nodded trying to catch her breath and struggling to follow the two men. She had no idea that Sasuke lived in the treacherous mountain forests around Konoha and she had a hard time keeping pace during the day long trip. Even Suigetsu seemed at least a little fatigued, while Sasuke continued on as if it were nothing. She stopped for a moment to regain her breath and when she looked up again both of them were gone.

"H-hello?" She called, hoping to hear an answer.

But the forest was dense and all she heard was her own voice echoing back at her from the trees.

"H-hello?" Hinata called again taking a tentative step forward.

Again there was no answer and, after adjusting her bag to a more comfortable position, she began to travel slowly in the direction she believed Sasuke and Suigetsu had gone. Using her hand to guide her over the roots of the close growing foliage she finally saw what appeared to be a clearing up ahead. With her courage renewed and her determination set she sped up and reached the end of the forest. Hinata collided with Suigetsu, who had turned to call for her. He laughed and helped steady her before nodding over his shoulder.

"Welcome home!" He said brightly, stepping aside so she could see.

She felt her mouth fall open when she caught sight of her new home. It looked like giant piles of metal and wood stacked precariously on top of each other. Smoke spilled out of the numerous chimney's that stuck out of the mess. It didn't even look like there was a door, or anyway into the 'house'.

"W-what?" Hinata asked confused.

"I know it doesn't look like much," Suigetsu reassured. "But believe me it's far more than it appears."

He grabbed her hand and pushed past Sasuke leading her to the side of the giant pile. To Hinata's surprise there was a simple unassuming wooden door there. He barely allowed her to get over her shock before he pulled the door open and stepped inside. Once again Hinata felt her mouth fall open. She was in a large entryway, and using the dying embers that smoldered in the large stone fireplace at one end of the room, Hinata tried to make out the rest of her surroundings. She thought she could see a table, but it was covered with piles of junk. There were heaps of books, and jars filled with miscellaneous things, a few broken quills, and tons of dirty plates and dust strewn about the surface. Four rough looking wooden chairs were placed around the table, and there were a few more comfortable chairs at random places around the room. On the far wall there was a staircase that led up to the different levels of the house, but the wood was old and looked as if it would fall apart at any moment. Across from the stairs there was a doorway leading into a different room, and the young woman didn't even want to know what was in there. She assumed that the small door located adjacent to the fireplace was a closet and couldn't help but notice that the whole place smelled slightly like decay. Hinata stepped out of the house again to take another look at the outside. Suigetsu laughed at her perplexity and Sasuke scoffed making his own way into the house.

"Get in here and stop acting like an idiot." Sasuke said harshly.

Hinata jumped slightly at his cold tone. She hadn't had someone talk to her that way since she had moved in with Kurenai. She nodded and stepped back into the house like she was a child who had done something wrong. Sasuke slammed the door closed and made his way deeper into the house.

"Don't mind him Hinata, he's just mad because Naruto made him stay for the banquet last night." Suigetsu said, glaring at his master.

"Well hello there." A soft sleek voice whispered.

Hinata turned and looked around, but saw nothing. She turned back towards Suigetsu and gave him an uneasy smile afraid she might be hearing things.

"Whatsssss your name, my dear?" the voice hissed again.

Hinata looked around frantically; sure that she heard the voice this time. Suigetsu frowned and grabbed at Hinata's hair. She flinched away from him, but watched in horror as he pulled a long white snake from her shoulder.

"Get back in your cage Orochimaru! No one wants to see you." Suigetsu growled, moving to the cage hanging by the fire that she hadn't noticed before and throwing the serpent inside.

The snake seemed to laugh at the young man before curling up and resting its head so it could watch Hinata.

"What is t-that?" she asked quietly, as Suigetsu turned back to her.

"That's Orochimaru, don't mind him. He's a pain in the ass, but he won't hurt you." Suigetsu reassured.

"Hmmm sssso I sssee you got your way then." The snake observed, keeping his yellow eyes trained on Hinata.

"Yeah," Suigetsu said happily. "Not that Sasuke didn't fight me on it."

Suigetsu continued to talk to the reptile and Hinata proceeded to take a closer look at her surroundings. While she was genuinely surprised that the mess outside had actually been a house, she wasn't surprised to see how dirty it was on the inside. Hinata ran her finger along the table and frowned at the line she had made through the dust. She looked up again as Sasuke stomped back into the main room, a tomato and glass of water clutched in his hand.

"Uh S-sasuke-sensei, where do I s-sleep?" She asked shyly.

Sasuke's scowl deepend and he threw a glare at her over his shoulder, but continued up the stairs as if she hadn't said anything.

"I don't care Hyuga." he sneered. "As long as you stay out of my way."

Hinata let her eyes fall to the floor, willing herself not to cry. The dark haired male snorted and she heard him thunder the rest of his way up the steps. Suigetsu walked over to Hinata and gave Sasuke's back the finger before shrugging and heading to the stairs himself.

"Sorry Hinata," Suigetsu replied to her lost and pleading look. "I would offer to share my room, but I have a feeling you wouldn't accept my offer." He said with a devilish smile, making Hinata's face turn red. "But I'll help you figure something out in the morning."

And then she was alone. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet nervously, not sure what she should do. Immediately she felt a wave of loneliness. She already missed the small farm house, and Kurenai, and Shikamaru, she even missed Asuma. Standing in the cold and vacant front room of this strange house she couldn't help but feel that this was all a big mistake.

"Come here pretty thing." the white snake's oily voice cooed. "Rest by the fire, everything will seem better in the morning."

"I-I don't think I should." She whispered fearfully, broken from her thoughts by the sly creature resting in his cage.

"Oh come now, do you intend to sleep on the floor? Ku ku ku ku!" the snake laughed.

Hinata took a tenative step back and crashed into the table, knocking dishes and papers over in the process. The snake ceased it's cackling but hummed in amusement as its eyes found hers.

"You can't be serious." he began. "If you sleep on the floor you'll get sick, and then I'll probably catch it." He said grumpily, after she shook her head. "You know, for a little mouse you sure are stubborn." he hissed. "Tell me little mouse, do I frighten you?"

"A-a little." Hinata admitted.

The snake laughed again before slithering through the bars of the cage. Hinata gasped, he looked much too big to fit through the small gaps of his prison. The bars seemed to move out of his way, as if even the metal was afraid of being touched by the great snake. They shuddered back into place as the last of his body slid onto the floor. The snake gave her one last look before slithering into the darkest corner of the room.

"If my presence is making you nervoussss then I shall be gone, at least for a little while." the voice mocked.

Hinata waited a few more minutes, listening intently for the snake to return. Silently she activated her Byakugan and saw that she was alone in the room except for the occasional bug. She breathed a sigh of relief and placed her bag down gently on the table next to her. She frowned at the floor; she refused to sleep on something so dirty. Shivering she weighed her options. The best and warmest choice was to sleep in front of the fire like the snake suggested. Taking one last look around she pulled a small comfortable looking chair over to the fire and grabbed a book from her bag. She leaned back in the chair and began to read the familiar pages of her favorite book. It wasn't long until she had fallen asleep, the book sliding out of her hands and landing with a soft thud on the floor.

-Page Break-

"Welcome home Hanabi-sama, Neji-san." one of the servants said bowing her head.

Hanabi ignored her, but Neji stopped to give her a curt nod. He turned to walk towards his room but was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Neji." his uncle called him. "Meet me in my study in ten minutes."

"Hai Hiashi-sama." Neji replied formally, bowing towards the man.

Once Neji was sure that he was out of earshot, because that would have to do; no one was ever out of a Hyuga's sight, he stood and walked into his room before throwing himself on his bed to rest for the precious few moments he had. There was a brisk knock on his door a few minutes later, and he let out a soft groan as he stood.

"Yes, Hanabi-sama?" he began before the door was even opened, only one person knocked on his door like that.

"Otou-san would like to see us." she answered simply.

Neji was a little surprised but tried not to show it as he followed his younger cousin. If his uncle only wished a debriefing of what happened at the ceremony he would have just called Neji. The fact that Hanabi was summoned as well gave Neji the hint that that was not the only thing the clan leader wanted to discuss. They stopped in front of his door and waited to be called in. It took only a few minutes but they were soon ushered into the sparse but large office of Hiashi Hyuuga.

"Neji, Hannabi." Hiashi said as if he hadn't ordered them there. "How was the ceremony?" he asked,before taking a sip from his tea cup.

"Uneventful." Hanabi answered, Neji nodded in agreement. "Except for the fact that Hinata-nee-san was there as well." Hanabi said.

Hiashi paused mid sip to look at his daughter and nephew, before resuming his motions a moment later. From his reaction Neji could tell this is what he had wanted to talk about from the begining.

"Yes I had heard about that." the older man said. "And how was she?"

"Healthy, as far as I could tell." Hanabi said bluntly.

Neji clenched his fists and gritted his teeth but remained silent. He wanted to call his uncle out on pretending to care about Hinata now when he was the one that had sent her away in the first place. He wanted to hit Hanabi for referring to her sister as if she was some stranger. She might as well have been. Hanabi was only four when Hinata had been sent away. But most of all he wanted to weep for Hinata, a child that deserved love from a father who never gave it, and for being alone in a world that would eat her alive.

"Neji you seem awfully quiet about this." Hiashi confronted.

He wanted to yell and shout at the frustrating man sitting across from him. Tell him that Hinata was better off without them because she was something good and pure. But he didn't. He didn't do anything because that was not his place. He was merely a branch member of the family; he served and obeyed the main family.

"It was good to see her there Hiashi-sama." Neji said, stoically.

"Yes, well my intelligence had a very limited scope. I was able to hear that Hinata had gone to the ceremony, but not if she was picked as an apprentice." Hiashi said.

"Does it matter?" Hanabi answered, slightly confused.

"Yes it matters," Hiashi answered sternly, but his voice held slight hints of anger. "And I should not have to explain why."

"She was picked." Neji interrupted.

"By whom?" Hiashi asked.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

-Page Break-

_She was running. She didn't know why. But something or someone was urging her to keep running, to keep looking. The floor beneath her bare feet was rough stone like the walls around her. It was almost as if she was in a tunnel. Torches littered along the wall blazed in their brackets offering minimal light, giving the place a more foreboding feeling. She was dressed in her mage robe, but her hat was gone briefly she wondered why that was. But that didn't matter now. Keep looking. You have to find him._

_"Sasuke!?" She called, her voice echoing back at her._

_That in itself shocked her. Why was she looking for Sasuke? She searched her mind for answers, but she found nothing, all she knew is that she needed to find him. Find him and save him._

_"Sasuke! Sasuke please answer me!" she pleaded._

_The echoes of her own voice were her only answer. She slowed to a stop so she could catch her breath. Suddenly a noise from up ahead caught her attention and soon she was running again. It was strange it sounded almost like...crying? But as she moved further down this dark passage the noise got louder, and it didn't take her long to recognize it. It wasn't crying, it was manic, sadistic, disturbing laughter. She stopped mid-step and looked around, searching for the source of the noise. The torches along the walls began to go out and Hinata's blood turned to ice. Soon the hallway was pitch black and Hinata couldn't hear anything except for her heavy breathing as she spun around frantically, trying to see anything. She whipped around and was met with two cold, malicious yellow eyes. And then, she screamed._

She woke with a start and clutched at her chest as her heart pounded against her ribcage. Suigetsu stood in front of her stoking the fire. He turned around and glanced at her briefly before turning back.

"Morning." he said covering a yawn.

Hinata moved and flinched as her body protested. She stretched and felt her bones pop as she tried to chase away the stiffness in her limbs. Straightening as best as she could she remembered the book she had the night before. Looking around frantically she saw it placed precariously on the table. Scooting back slightly she stood and collected her item before stowing it back in her bag.

"Where is Sasuke-sensei?" Hinata asked Suigetsu after a long moment of silence.

The young man snorted and turned towards her before gesturing towards the stairs.

"We probably won't see him emerge from his emo cave until he gets hungry." he explained.

"B-but...what about my t-t-training?" Hinata asked, astounded.

Suigetsu shrugged before walking to the small closet near the door. He pulled out a cloak and fastened it around his shoulders, before reaching for a heavy coin purse.

"I'm going into town for supplies." He answered the silent question. "While I'm out I'll see what I can do about your bed situation."

With that he strode to the door, turned the lock and stepped outside. She stood for a moment in shock, wondering what she was supposed to do now.

"If you hurry," Orochimaru hissed from inside his cage, drawing her attention. "You still might catch him."

Hinata didn't stop to think about when the reptile had returned to his cage; instead she rushed to the door and pulled it open.

"Suigetsu wait...!" She began but stopped mid-sentence.

She was expecting to see the large forest that she had had to trek through yesterday, but instead she saw rows of shops in front of her. Slowly she stepped out of the house in awe and was met with the stifling heat of the desert sun. She shielded her eyes and looked around, hoping to gain her bearings. Hinata stood in the middle of a bustling city street in a place she had never been before. She blinked her eyes, rubbing them when she still saw the sandy streets stretched before her. Quickly she backed into the house and closed the door. Taking a deep breath, she tried again hoping she would see the familiar trees of Konoha. Again she was met with the same scene as before. This time she didn't bother trying to take a look around; she slammed the door and turned the lock.

"Ku ku ku." the snake laughed in his cage.

She turned to him quickly, thoroughly puzzled. But the creature didn't answer her and instead looked towards the young woman expectantly.

"U-um w-what's going o-on?" she asked the snake nervously.

"Open the door." Orochimaru answered simply.

She shot him another confused look before reaching for the lock to turn it, but his voice stopped her.

"No no. Just...open it." he explained.

Hinata gave him one more look before turning back to the door. She noticed for the first time that engraved into the lock was a small colored circle. Running her fingers over the small green indent she turned the handle and was caught off guard as the door swung open. Her breath caught in her throat and she took a few tentative steps outside. She was once again standing in the heart of Konoha. Looking around she recognized the bustling shops that she had seen just yesterday. Turning she looked up at the building she had just walked out of. The worn sign in front of her said that this was an apothecary shop; she quickly stepped back inside and saw the gloomy and stale smelling inside of Sasuke's house. The door closed behind her automatically and she whirled around, hearing a loud knock. The lock spun in a circle before stopping, and Hinata was surprised to see that this circle was blue. Whoever had been knocking knocked again and she cautiously opened the door.

"Good morning." a young boy, maybe Hanabi's age, with a striped white and blue hat said. "I have a letter for Suigetsu-san."

Hinata took the offered letter and looked at it. It was addressed to Suigetsu's Shop of Magnificent Magical Merchandise. She coughed to cover her laugh and looked at the boy smiling.

"T-thank you." She said brightly.

He nodded, giving her his own small smile, before it was replaced with a confused expression.

"Hey, I've never seen you before are you going to be staying with Suigetsu-san for a while?" he asked.

"Yes I…" she began but froze when she heard Orochimaru speak.

"Suna door." The snake hissed, lifting its head for a minute, before tucking it securely away.

"I-I have to go t-thank you for the letter!" She said quickly before closing the door and turning towards the animal.

"Suna door." He repeated.

She turned the lock until she saw a yellow circle waited for Orochimaru to nod in agreement and opened the door. A man dressed in a black suit with what looked like cat ears on the top and purple markings painted on his face was standing there, hand poised to knock again. He let his arm fall in surprise before he cleared his throat and leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed and a grin on his face.

"Hey," he said, trying to be smooth. "What's your name?"

"H-hinata." She answered nervously.

"I haven't seen you around here before, the names Kankurou." He supplied, shamelessly flirting with her.

"It's nice to meet you Kankurou-san!" Hinata said bowing quickly and oblivious to his flirtatious tone.

"So, are you and Suigetsu…you know," he asked, suddenly serious.

"Ah yes," Hinata said misunderstanding the question. "I will be living with him for a while."

"Damn," he cursed lightly. "Suigetsu always gets the cute girls."

"W-what?" Hinata asked confused, until the obvious hit her like a ton of bricks. "Oh n-no! It's n-not like that a-at all!" She said her cheeks scarlet.

Kankurou laughed at her expression, making Hinata blush harder. She wrung her hands nervously as the man laughed hysterically.

"Oh that was great." He said after he calmed down a little. "Hey I didn't mean anything by it, I was just kidding." He reassured after he saw her expression. "Just, can you do me a favor? Tell Suigetsu I'll come by tomorrow for my order okay?"

Hinata nodded, and gave him a small smile. He flashed his own grin, standing straight and preparing to leave.

"Thanks, I'll be seeing you around Hinata." He said waving before turning and walking back down the street.

Once she was sure he was gone she closed the door and turned the lock twice, so that a red circle was showing instead. She quickly pulled the door open and saw the thick forest that they had traveled through to get to the castle in the first place. Closing it again she turned the lock once more on a blue circle. Hinata opened the door once again and heard the crying of gulls and could smell the salt water. It was where the same place the young boy had been. She laughed with childish glee as she closed the door again and turned the lock till it was showing a purple circle.

"This is amazing!" She breathed as she caught sight of the ruined city around her. "I d-didn't know that S-Sasuke-sensei could do this! This is m-magic I've never e-even heard of!"

"That'ssss because it isn't SSSSSasuke's magic, it's mine." The snake replied.

Hinata turned towards the snake and gently shut the door, waiting patiently for an explanation. When he didn't elaborate she turned back towards the door and twisted the lock one last time. The circle didn't look the same as the other circles; it looked as if someone had desperately tried to scrape the paint off of it. She let her fingers run over the deep gouges before she grasped the handle. Suddenly her hand was pulled away from the knob and her wrist was being clenched tightly. Her heart hammered in her chest as she was paralyzed by two red eyes. In an instant Sasuke had released her wrist and had pushed himself between her and the door, his eyes the familiar icy black.

"Listen to me." He said forcefully. "What I said before stands. You may go anywhere as long as you're not in my way," he continued before grabbing her chin roughly and forcing her to look him in the eye. "Except through that door, you can go to Suna, Konoha I don't care. But if I ever catch you going through that door, I will kill you."

Hinata watched him fearfully as he explained this to her in a calm voice as if he was telling her that the sky was blue.

"Do you understand me? I. WILL. KILL. YOU." He emphasized. "Nod so I know you understand."

Hinata nodded not doubting for a moment that if he ever had cause that Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to kill her. He released her face and turned away from her. Hinata stumbled back in surprise and landed heavily against the table. The Uchiha sent one last glare to her over his shoulder before opening the door and disappearing.

**A/N: Sorry if the door part was confusing I didn't know how to explain it. And I had to add Kankurou he's one of my favorites. **


	4. Back to Basics

**Disclaimer: I don't own this**

**Chapter 4: Back to Basics **

Hinata waited a few minutes, too stunned to move and just stared at the door.

"Don't take any of what he said to heart." The snake said, perching himself on her shoulder.

She jumped and had to force herself not to brush the creature off in repulsion. Instead she offered a shaking hand and he slid off her shoulder. Gently she placed him on the table and fought the shudder that raced up her spine.

"S-So Sasuke-sensei wouldn't k-kill me?" she asked skeptically.

"Oh no, he would kill you, but it's nothing personal." The snake answered with a laugh. "But you better get used to it, little one. Suigetsu will be back soon with a bed and you have nowhere to put it. I believe that is a more pressing matter."

She contemplated what he said and had to agree. While the fact that she might have been chosen as an apprentice by someone who wasn't afraid to kill her was scary, finding a place to settle into seemed like a good way to distract herself and would keep her out of Sasuke's war path. Her back throbbed painfully, reminding her of the night she had spent in a chair, and she promised herself that she wouldn't do that again if she could help it. She looked around, the room she was in now was big and there was a large empty space by a large window. It was a definite possibility, but she decided to look around more. She walked to the door way near the stairs and gasped at the sight of the room in front of her. It once was a kitchen but now it was a cluttered room of garbage and rotting food. It was like a horror story. She turned away quickly and debated about looking upstairs. But she knew that was where Sasuke had slept, and after their little talk she wanted to be as far from him as possible. Walking towards the large windows she grimaced when she noticed the spiders lingering in the corners and the dirt that covered the glass and the dust caked on the floor. She knew she couldn't live like this. Moving towards the door she turned the lock till it was yellow and she pushed open the door, propping it open with one of the old chairs.

"What are you doing now?" the snake asked curled comfortably on top of the table.

"If I'm g-going to live here, s-something has to be done about all the g-garbage and dirt." Came Hinata's muffled voice as she searched through the closet near the door.

She reappeared minutes later, looking triumphant as she held a large white cloth in her hand. She ripped it in half before placing both pieces on top of her bag on the table before fighting her way through the kitchen. It didn't take her long to find a bucket and a broom, along with a medium sized scrub brush and a large sack. Walking towards the table she moved her bag to the closet before hooking her hands underneath it and giving it a gentle tug.

"What are you doing!?" Orochimaru practically spat.

"I'm s-sorry Orocimaru-san," Hinata said innocently. "But I h-have to clean, as you s-said Suigetsu-san will be returning soon with my bed and I h-have nowhere to put it."

The snake hissed dangerously, fixing her with a deadly glare. Hinata steeled her nerves and gave him what she hoped was a stern expression.

"Move p-please." She said offering her hand again.

Orochimaru gave her an angry look before sliding off the table and disappearing into the house. She breathed deeply and began to tug the table again. She heard books and bottles and other objects fall to the floor but she didn't stop until she had moved the table outside. People looked at her strangely as she stopped to catch her breath before disappearing back into the house.

-Page Break-

Suigetsu shielded his eyes and glared at the setting sun, before he turned to look behind him at the man following him pulling a cart with a futon on it.

"It's just a little further I promise." Suigetsu called, grinning.

The man nodded, struggling to pull the cart along the sandy path. Suigetsu shook his head and let out a little sadistic chuckle, he turned back and his happy grin slid from his face. There was a group of people standing outside his house clustered around what looked to be their table and the front door was propped open.

"The hell?" he grumbled, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

Suddenly a man picked up a half empty bottle, sniffed it experimentally and began to tuck it into his pocket. That was the last straw.

"Oi! Hey hey hey hey!" he shouted running towards the group.

Most of them scattered but some were too startled to move. He stormed over to the man and ripped the bottle from his hands before glaring at him and showing off his sharp teeth.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"T-the table's been out here all d-day!" the man stuttered. "I thought it was for sale!"

"Yeah? Well it didn't look like you were planning to pay for that!" Suigetsu spat.

"Well no one else paid!" the man defended.

"WHAT!?" Suigetsu yelled, and this time everyone dove for cover.

He turned to the man that had been delivering Hinata's bed and found he had also run for it, leaving his cart behind and everything. His anger rose and he gritted his teeth.

"Hinata," he growled turning and stepping into the house.

But his anger melted immediately. He looked around astounded and blinked as the light from the window across the room was almost too much for him to handle. The floors had been cleaned and waxed, the window was washed and the hearth had been swept out, there was even a book case across the room that he didn't even know was there. For the first time in a long time the house didn't smell like neglect it smelled fresh and clean and…food. Suigetsu noticed for the first time since he entered that the room smelled delicious. He walked further into the house and peeked into the kitchen. He struggled to contain his gasp of surprise. If the other room was clean this one was spotless. The cluttered counters were cleared off and there was no trace of the garbage that had littered the floor. There on the stove sat a large pot that simmered quietly. Hinata was standing at a sink that Suigetsu hadn't seen since he first came here and was cleaning dishes dutifully.

"Wow," he said smirking.

Hinata yelped and almost dropped a dish before she turned around and saw Suigetsu standing in the doorway.

"W-welcome home." She said smiling before turning back to the dishes.

"I see you've been busy today." He commented.

"Mmmmhmmm." She hummed before placing the plate back in the cupboard.

She moved towards that stove and stirred the contents of the pot gently before turning to look at Suigetsu again.

"How much did you manage to clean today?" he asked curiously.

"Well I cleaned the front room, and in here. I managed to clean the bathroom upstairs, but I didn't touch your room or Sasuke-sensei's." she answered turning back to him.

"Help me get the table and your bed in here, will you?" he asked.

Hinata nodded and followed him out of the kitchen and outside. Together they brought the table and her new futon into the house.

"Is dinner almost ready?" Suigetsu asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

"Almost, n-now help me clean this t-table off." Hinata said smiling.

Suigetsu groaned but begrudgingly turned to help her finish cleaning off the table.

-Page Break-

The lock spun in the door until the circle with the scraped paint was showing. The door slammed open violently, and Sasuke entered in an even fouler mood then he had been in when he left. Hinata jumped and turned to him, before quickly getting to her feet. Suigetsu continued eating as if nothing had happened.

"Welcome h-home Sasuke-sensei!" Hinata said quickly, bowing.

"Hn," was Sasuke's only reply, but instead of storming up stairs he paused to look around. "It's clean." He said after a moment.

Hinata flushed and sat down, wringing her hands in embarrassment, while Suigetsu decided to speak on her behalf.

"Hinata spent all day cleaning and cooking, because SOMEONE wasn't here to train her." He said.

Sasuke pulled out a chair and sat down across from Suigetsu, Hinata handed him a plate and he piled it high with food. They ate the rest of their dinner in silence, and once they were finished Hinata immediately stood and began to clear the table. After a minute Suigetsu sighed and stood to help her, his conscious getting the best of him.

"Hyuga." Sasiske said suddenly, making both of his housemates freeze.

"Y-yes?" Hinata stuttered, surprised he had addressed her at all.

"If I train you, you will do what I say, when I say it understand?" Sasuke asked, his voice cool.

Hinata nodded quickly, afraid that if she didn't respond fast enough that he would change his mind.

"I am the master here, if I say jump, you jump, if I say run that's exactly what you do." He continued his voice becoming sharp. "And if I ask you to kill someone, I expect it done, in a timely fashion and with gusto. Do you understand?"

Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't know what to say; she wanted to train more than anything but she couldn't imagine herself ever killing anyone. Suigetsu nudged her and, after another moment of hesitation, she slowly nodded.

"Fine, we start tomorrow morning after breakfast." Was his monotone reply, as he stood and disappeared upstairs.

Suigetsu grinned and patted Hinata on the shoulder excitedly, but Hinata wasn't excited at all. She took a deep breath and pushed the conversation to the back of her mind, deciding to focus on her work instead.

-Page Break-

_She followed behind Sasuke obediently, as he led her through the twisting underground tunnels that somehow seemed so familiar to her. He held a torch in his hand that blazed with a bright unnatural light that lit the whole hall. They turned down a side passage and continued to walk on in silence. There was a loud rumble and Sasuke stopped short making Hinata crash into him. He whipped around and shot her a glare, before he heard the rumble again. Small bits of rock and debris began to fall around them. In a matter of seconds he grabbed Hinata and pushed her away from him just as the ceiling collapsed on top of him. _

Hinata woke with a start and sat up in her futon and looked around the darkened room. The fire had died down to a few embers that glowed brightly in the hearth. She pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart and took a few deep breaths.

"Have another nightmare?" Orochimaru hissed.

Hinata startled again and frowned as she heard the malicious laughter of the snake. She saw him coiled next to her futon, his head swaying back and forth.

"Oh O-orochimaru-san." Hinata said after she had calmed down. "That wasn't very nice of you to s-scare me l-like that."

"Well it wasn't nice of you to kick me out of my house." He hissed angrily.

"Oh d-don't be angry O-orochimaru-san! It's m-much c-c-cleaner here now, don't you like it?" Hinata said softly, feeling guilty for shooing him away earlier.

"Hmm, I have to admit that the stench of decay and rot was getting old." The snake joked after a moment. "So I forgive you as long as you promise to cook my meals."

Hinata smiled happily, but felt it fall from her face quickly. She looked nervously at the serpent, ringing her hands together.

"I know you wish to ask something, so ask it." Orochimaru said bluntly, as he uncoiled himself.

"Orochimaru-san?" She began formally. "How did you know I w-was having another n-nightmare?"

The snake laughed, a cold bitter laugh that gave her goose bumps before he slowly began to slither away.

"I know a lot more than you think." Was his only reply, before the embers died out completely and the room was plunged into darkness.

Hinata hugged her knees to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't fall asleep again for the rest of the night.

-Page Break-

"Smells like breakfast!" Suigetsu cheered as he raced down the stairs.

Sasuke followed behind him, a little less enthusiastic, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He noticed that Hinata stood diligently in front of the hearth, attempting to start a new fire for the day. The young man pushed her aside before mumbling something under his breath and immediately a warm, magical, fire roared to life. Hinata whipped her head around in surprise but Sasuke ignored her as he took a seat at the table. Now that the fire was lit Hinata served breakfast, once the two men had made their plates Hinata made another one and cautiously walked towards the cage where the great snake slept. She reached forward as if to touch the cage but recoiled quickly, it took her a few more tries before she was finally able to muster the courage to open the cage and leave the food for Orochimaru.

"That was pathetic," Sasuke stated blandly, as Hinata took her own seat at the table. "It shouldn't take you that long to feed him."

"A-ano…he scares m-me." Hinata admitted her voice so quite he almost had to strain to hear.

Sasuke laughed bitterly before fixing a glare on the young woman across from him, Hinata could almost swear his eyes were red.

"You have no idea what real fear is," Sasuke said. "But I'll fix that soon enough."

The Hyuga swallowed hard and gripped the table to stop her hands from shaking. Sasuke glanced over at the cage and continued speaking.

"Finish your breakfast." He said, his voice returning to its usual monotone. "We have a lot to do today."

He caught Hinata's eyes and she felt like she would suffocate in the dark depths of his obsidian glare. She nodded quickly before looking down at her food, the Sasuke with the red eyes still present in her mind. They finished breakfast in silence, and Hinata stood to clear the dishes but Sasuke raised a hand to stop her.

"Suigetsu, handle the clean-up. Hyuga follow me." He merely said, as he too stood and made his way to the cloak closet by the door.

He pulled out a dark blue jacket and handed her an oversized white one. Slipping it on he turned the lock in the door until it was purple and he led her outside. A blast of cold air hit her immediately and she zipped up her coat as she took a good look around her. They stood in the ruins of a large city. A thin layer of frost covered the ground and crunched loudly beneath Sasuke's feet as he walked ahead. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened, before she scrambled to catch up with her mentor. The large stone buildings now lay in pieces, a few structures had survived but they were all in poor condition.

"Where are we?" Hinata breathed, crossing her arms to keep the cold out.

"Oto." Was Sasuke's reply, as he continued to walk.

"But I t-thought Oto w-was a c-city?" Hinata asked confused.

"It was." He called behind him.

Hinata swiftly followed him until Sasuke stopped in front of a door. It was metal and the building above it seemed to be missing a roof. She was confused about what they were doing here, but Sasuke opened the heavy door without a second thought. A long dark stone passageway stretched before them and Hinata felt the strange sense of something familiar. He felt around the inside of the passage and pulled out a torch before muttering and incantation and the torch lit up with an ethereal glow. He glanced at her one last time before disappearing into the black tunnel, the torch lighting up everything around him. Hinata hurried to catch up to him, not wanting to be left in the dark. Their trek was silent, the walls and floors were made out of rough stone, and Hinata ran her fingers along it, contemplating how this had anything to do with her training. There were passages that branched off to the side but most of them were collapsed, Sasuke led them down one of these side passages and a loud rumble filled the hall. Hinata stopped short and was glad she did, because Sasuke stopped not an instant later and she would have crashed into him. She was hit with a powerful sense of déjà vu and looked around quickly. She noticed Sasuke moving up ahead and she quickly followed after him. Suddenly the tunnel shook with the sound of collapsing rock. Sasuke stopped, turned, and grabbed Hinata, about to fling her out of the way. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as her dream replayed in her mind. Instead of allowing Sasuke to throw her out of the way she threw herself at him. He wasn't ready to catch her so they both rolled and tumbled to the ground. Not an instant later the ceiling they were just standing beneath collapsed.

"What the hell?" Sasuke growled, sitting up and glaring at the girl sprawled across the ground in front of him.

Hinata slowly got to her knees and winced slightly as pain shot through her shoulder where she had landed. She looked up and gave Sasuke a weak, nervous, smile.

"Well S-sasuke-sensei, if I-I hadn't p-p-pushed you out of the way you w-would have b-been crushed." She said.

"How did you know the ceiling was going to collapse?" he demanded.

"B-because the t-tunnel shook?" Hinata answered unsure.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously before standing and retrieving the torch that flew out of his hand when she had pushed him. Hinata also struggled to her feet, pushing on her bruised shoulder experimentally. Deciding it wasn't too bad she moved to follow Sasuke as he continued down the tunnel the torch still lit.

"Not much further." He answered her unasked question.

Hinata nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her. Finally they stopped at another metal door. Sasuke forced Hinata to take the torch and he pulled hard on the door so it creaked open. He disappeared into the black room and Hinata shifted nervously. Suddenly Sasuke reached out his pale hand as if searching for something. Hinata handed him the torch and the darkness was illuminated. She stepped into the large room with a vaulted ceiling and tons of book cases. Sasuke lit the sconces by the door and the whole room became visible. The library was just as dilapidated as the rest of the ruins of Oto. But some of the books were still intact.

"Wow…" Hinata breathed, she had never seen so many books in her life.

"Oto has largest collection of magic tomes and scrolls, ever recorded." Sasuke said after a moment. "Pick a few and meet me back here, than your training will begin."

It didn't take long for the white eyed girl to return, and she hesitantly held out the book she had chosen. Sasuke took it from her and read the title. _Basic magic for Beginners_. He looked at her in disbelief; silently asking her if this was a joke cause if it was it wasn't funny. She blushed and looked away fiddling with her fingers. Sasuke let out a loud un-Sasuke like sigh and ran a hand down his weary face.

"This is going to be a long day."

**A/N: So I know it's been pretty predictable but hopefully I'll be able to surprise you a little later. **


End file.
